Curse

Zeek Aran · Jan 08, 2008, 11:43 PM // 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahr Dalsk

Then how do they own it? Because they do.

They own a logo, not two letters. If you can own "GW" then I can own the word "a" and that's just not how anything works. I may be wrong about this, but I think I'm right. If a third person can come in and explain this, please do.

Zahr Dalsk · Jan 08, 2008, 11:52 PM // 23:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeek Aran

They own a logo, not two letters. If you can own "GW" then I can own the word "a" and that's just not how anything works. I may be wrong about this, but I think I'm right. If a third person can come in and explain this, please do.

Here's the copyright info. Now I'm from Canada so I'm not sure how UK law works, but they did secure copyright on the following (of which GW is included).

Quote:

TRADEMARK INFORMATION

40k, Adeptus Astartes, Battlefleet Gothic, Black Flame, Black Library, the Black Library logo, BL Publishing, Blood Angels, Bloodquest, Blood Bowl, the Blood Bowl logo, The Blood Bowl Spike Device, Cadian, Catachan, Chaos, the Chaos device, the Chaos logo, Citadel, Citadel Device, Cityfight, City of the Damned, Codex, Daemonhunters, Dark Angels, Darkblade, Dark Eldar, Dark Future, Dawn of War, the Double-Headed/Imperial Eagle device, 'Eavy Metal, Eldar, Eldar symbol devices, Epic, Eye of Terror, Fanatic, the Fanatic logo, the Fanatic II logo, Fire Warrior, the Fire Warrior logo, Forge World, Games Workshop, Games Workshop logo, Genestealer, Golden Demon, Gorkamorka, Great Unclean One, GW, GWI, the GWI logo, the Hammer of Sigmar logo, Horned Rat logo, Inferno, Inquisitor, the Inquisitor logo, the Inquisitor device, Inquisitor:Conspiracies, Keeper of Secrets, Khemri, Khorne, the Khorne device, Kroot, Lord of Change, Marauder, Mordheim, the Mordheim logo, Necromunda, Necromunda stencil logo, Necromunda Plate logo, Necron, Nurgle, the Nurgle device, Ork, Ork skull devices, Sisters of Battle, Skaven, the Skaven symbol devices, Slaanesh, the Slaanesh device, Space Hulk, Space Marine, Space Marine chapters, Space Marine chapter logos, Talisman, Tau, the Tau caste designations, Tomb Kings, Trio of Warriors, Twin Tailed Comet Logo, Tyranid, Tyrannid, Tzeentch, the Tzeentch device, Ultramarines, Warhammer, Warhammer Historical, Warhammer Online, Warhammer 40k Device, Warhammer World logo, Warmaster, White Dwarf, the White Dwarf logo, and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia, characters, vehicles, locations illustrations and images from the Blood Bowl game, the Warhammer world, the Talisaman world, and the Warhammer 40,000 universe are either ®, TM and/or © Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2004, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. All Rights Reserved

The Reprimander · Jan 08, 2008, 11:59 PM // 23:59

[QUOTE=Haijiibirdhead] Lets say that someone died from the Polar bear thing who was under an obcessive compulsion. QUOTE]

Because OCD is a hex spell the computer casts on some people...
It's a game, and I've never really heard of anybody dying from playing too many videogames. That's impossible.

This can't be that much of an issue, can it?

Zahr Dalsk · Jan 09, 2008, 12:04 AM // 00:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reprimander

Because OCD is a hex spell the computer casts on some people...
It's a game, and I've never really heard of anybody dying from playing too many videogames. That's impossible.

This can't be that much of an issue, can it?

OCD

25e, 5c, 60r

Skill. Target foe repeats their current action. They continue repeating it until OCD ends. Unlimited duration.

Zeek Aran · Jan 09, 2008, 12:13 AM // 00:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahr Dalsk

Here's the copyright info. Now I'm from Canada so I'm not sure how UK law works, but they did secure copyright on the following (of which GW is included).

Okay, then... GW doesn't have "GW" trademarked, but there's NOTHING stopping individuals from calling Guild Wars GW.

Zahr Dalsk · Jan 09, 2008, 12:28 AM // 00:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeek Aran

Okay, then... GW doesn't have "GW" trademarked, but there's NOTHING stopping individuals from calling Guild Wars GW.

Of course there isn't anything stopping them. ArenaNet is quite below the notice of Games Workshop. They seriously could not care less what slang is used in regards to Gw. (The other reason I call it Gw is that's what ArenaNet actually calls it, apparently; if you check your system processes while Guild Wars is running you'll see Gw.exe; that's Guild Wars.)

Vitas · Jan 09, 2008, 12:30 AM // 00:30

Compassion --> OCD sufferers

LOL --> OP

Remember the movie "Mazes & Monsters?" The problem was not the game; it was the boy's mental condition.

Kusandaa · Jan 09, 2008, 12:54 AM // 00:54

Hah I hadn't seen your reply Zeek... until now. Really need to check this thread more often, it's an interesting topic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeek Aran

o.O And you let your mother yell at you for that long? It seems your mother doesn't quite understand, and yelling the whole time isn't going to do anything except cause tension/anger between the two of you, if anything. Have you explained it to her?

Ok, I'm normally at my own apartment, which I share with my husband. During the holidays I generally end up at my grandparents, along with my family (my dad, mom, older sister, her husband and her two sons). As I type this, I'm back "home" (my apartment).

I've TRIED explaining to her. 2 days ago she talked to me about it again, because she's dead sure I have some problem... but then again I'm her little baby boy and I was a problem child (I was your typical ADHD kid, but unlike some I knew I wasn't a bully or anything - the opposite actually, since I was bullied throughout my elementary and it stopped after I came out of the closet, at 16, still never understood how O_o;;; ). Because she doesn't act the same with my sister, and mothers tend to be more... protective with their daughters, as opposed to their sons. So I'm damned sure it's linked to the fact that, unlike my sister, I was a problem child and was a problem teenager too (let's face it, I'm no angel).

My mom is over-protective. My dad asked her to cut some slack on me but she's totally obsessed, and it's beginning to annoy me. At one point, she could call here 2 times a day - I take my car and it takes me around 20 minutes to get to their house. Shows how much I live close yet she worries so much about me. She doesn't do that with my sister (she's 29) who moves between Toronto and Montreal weekly.

Back on the topic...

TBH, I've heard of the cases where people died from not doing anything else than computer games. But then again, doing too much of something isn't good in general...

It's a topic that comes back to me given I'm in a studying field that deals with their own social problems - Japanese Studies. If anyone is familiar with "hikikomori", you know what I'm talking about and what's the relation to this thread. To the people who've never heard of it, it's a term for those teenagers and young adults who shut themselves from society and watch anime, play games, surf the net... etc. They have little to no social contacts, even with their parents. Some go outside, some try to "fit in" with people of their own age, social status or similar interest via the internet. A lot were bullied as children, have lost friends, and so on. Some find refuge in online gaming. For most, it's a "phase"; some have a hard time getting out of that.

Maybe I'm linking both for no reason or by symptoms only, since it doesn't mean they are obsessed by their game/TV show/whatever, but it's kinda similar in a way... but sometimes, I can't help to think it might happen here. I don't know anyone THAT addicted, but if I NEVER went out of my house, didn't have any social contact or barely ate, while all I'd do would be gaming, I'd call myself addicted.

As for now, my main hobby is video games, always has since my father bought the NES in 1989. Whether I spend 5 hours on one, or 2.5 hours on 2... remains the same to me. I have a normal life, I'm nowhere near "addicted" as some people think I am (namely my mother). I enjoy GW, I love my computer, but I'll take my IRL friends over my online friends (heh sorry guys, but it's true, lol... >_<). I'm called to go to parties and take part in activities in my university... I never gave the "oh tonight I'm playing GW" excuse, because seriously, as much as I spend a lot of time on that game, I've got priorities.

And that, IMHO, is called responsibility.

But yeah, I'm a 22-year-old male. Every now and then I think I play a bit too much than I should lol. I think you guys will agree that we all feel as if we'd prefer playing over going to work, let's say. And yet most of us leave our computers, go to school, university, work, parties and such.

ElinoraNeSangre · Jan 09, 2008, 12:58 AM // 00:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeek Aran

They own a logo, not two letters. If you can own "GW" then I can own the word "a" and that's just not how anything works. I may be wrong about this, but I think I'm right. If a third person can come in and explain this, please do.

You are correct, Zeek.

This is further complicated by laws in other countries - ArenaNet incidentally is a US company. So if you want to talk about legal anything where it is concerned, you should be using the correct site for the country they are in.

But they're owned by NCSoft which is based in Korea.

Want to further complicate things? Games Workshop is only listed as Games Workshop according to the US Trademark office!

But according to the UK's own trademark site, Glaxo Wellcome trademarked "GW" in 1999. Games Workshop trademarked it in 2003. So how can two companies (plus a few more) trademark that?

(get ready for it!)

A trademark is not ownership of letters! It is far more complicated than that.

I think only reason why I'm probably replying to this is that my OCD demands it.

On topic: can we all agree that people need to take responsibility for their own actions?

Zeek Aran · Jan 09, 2008, 01:12 AM // 01:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElinoraNeSangre

I think only reason why I'm probably replying to this is that my OCD demands it.

On topic: can we all agree that people need to take responsibility for their own actions?

Thank you for having OCD. <3 *stops hijacking*

Shakti · Jan 09, 2008, 01:34 AM // 01:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElinoraNeSangre

You are correct, Zeek.

This is further complicated by laws in other countries - ArenaNet incidentally is a US company. So if you want to talk about legal anything where it is concerned, you should be using the correct site for the country they are in.

But they're owned by NCSoft which is based in Korea.

Want to further complicate things? Games Workshop is only listed as Games Workshop according to the US Trademark office!

But according to the UK's own trademark site, Glaxo Wellcome trademarked "GW" in 1999. Games Workshop trademarked it in 2003. So how can two companies (plus a few more) trademark that?

(get ready for it!)

A trademark is not ownership of letters! It is far more complicated than that.

I think only reason why I'm probably replying to this is that my OCD demands it.

On topic: can we all agree that people need to take responsibility for their own actions?

Heh...Elinora...you just rock<3

RPGmaniac · Jan 09, 2008, 02:39 AM // 02:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reprimander

Because OCD is a hex spell the computer casts on some people...
It's a game, and I've never really heard of anybody dying from playing too many videogames. That's impossible.

This can't be that much of an issue, can it?

You have heard of the WoW addicted parents who let their kid die because they couldn't be bothered to take care of them, haven't you?

Kuralian Magna · Jan 09, 2008, 03:43 AM // 03:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahr Dalsk

Then how do they own it? Because they do.

Hmm... methinks the crack is strong in this one...

GW (the letters) aren't what's owned. The art and presentation of the said GW is what they own. Therein lies the trademarked part.

I guess it's an easy mistake to make, but in this case. It IS a mistake.

Now be sure to never used the letters KM together lest I have my people calling your people.

It'll affect my OCD in game (keeping on the subject, in an abstract and odd sort of fashion...)

arsie · Jan 09, 2008, 03:51 AM // 03:51

I believe the hourly warning thing is a requirement in some countries, I believe South Korea being one of them.

China goes even further by having some sort of penalty if a player plays the same game for too many hours at a go. That just mean that people swap games every few hours, haven't stopped them keeling over at the keyboard.

Zahr Dalsk · Jan 09, 2008, 05:51 AM // 05:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuralian Magna

Hmm... methinks the crack is strong in this one...
GW (the letters) aren't what's owned. The art and presentation of the said GW is what they own. Therein lies the trademarked part.

I guess it's an easy mistake to make, but in this case. It isn't a mistake.

Fixed.

I was going to leave this thread, but your implication that I engage in smoking crack simply because I read something accurately irritated me, so I decided to do one of the more annoying internet arguing techniques, the fixed quote. I do realize that you may reply in kind. And that's cool with me.

EDIT: By the way, I find multiplayer shooters considerably more addictive than MMOs.

shiznid12 · Jan 09, 2008, 06:02 AM // 06:02

What you say is fairly true.... EXCEPT

It would have been nice for you to spell obsessive correct atleast ONCE.

ElinoraNeSangre · Jan 09, 2008, 06:17 AM // 06:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shakti

Heh...Elinora...you just rock<3

Aw thanks!

:: hugs Shakti and Zeek ::

=DNC=Trucker · Jan 09, 2008, 11:21 AM // 11:21

You see OCD everywhere - casinos, games, drugs, alcohol, job, etc etc. You can't cure OCD by simply removing the object of obsession, in most/all cases it shifts to something else (another game!)

tmakinen · Jan 09, 2008, 11:57 AM // 11:57

Since this topic was apparently triggered by the Polar Bear Incident I must point out that perhaps somewhat surprisingly the late confirmation of the new mini was a good thing in respect of OCD influenced bear lovers.

When the farming frenzy started there was less than 24 hours of effective play time left until ANet pulled the plug. While a session that lasts non-stop twice around the clock is certainly crazy, an otherwise healthy person should be able to pull it off without any permanent damage.

Now, if the bear had been found on the first day of the event, there would have been a whole week to try one's luck, and crucially, still with a negligible chance of success. There would have been casualties.

Yes, people are ultimately responsible for their actions (or in the case of minors, their parents are to an extent). However, game makers shouldn't specifically encourage self-abuse, and the PBI pushed all the right (or wrong) buttons as if the devs were actually hoping to see some people go berserk.

ElinoraNeSangre · Jan 09, 2008, 05:31 PM // 17:31

If people are that obsessed with getting a little collection of pixels that resembles a polar bear, I maintain that they need to reevaluate their priorities. If it's that important to them, maybe they should go outside for a bit. I personally find it really sad that a cool little addiction to the game resulted in so much bitterness (and the jealousy against the people that DID get one). Sure, I tried for one - for about 2 hours. Then I thought "you know, I just wasted 2 hours on something I may not even get. Life's too short" and went off to spend time with my family. My only regret is that I spent those 2 hours at all given what I COULD have done with 2 hours.

People choose self abuse, just like they choose to eat fast food even though it's bad for them (I do it too sometimes), choose not to exercise, or choose to drive without a seatbelt. No self abuse was encouraged - if anything, someone may have made the mistaken assumption that players have good judgment (which I think we all know to be false, about 2 minutes in any populated district shows that).

If people had common sense I'd say "I'd wish people had known earlier" but given the fact that people really do exist who have holes in their judgment big enough to float an aircraft carrier through, it really IS better that it happened on the last day because at least ordeal only lasted a day.